Diet And Fitness News You Need To Know

So there is a list of the Top 10 Most-Hated Foods in the US.  Of course there is.  Kitchen Daily did the dirty work.   Guess what's #1?  Brussel sprouts.  Try them roasted with balsamic vinegar.  You'll never look at them with disdain again.

Image via ThorPorre

As for the others hated food items:

• Garlic - LOVE the flavor.  The breath we're left with?  Not so much. 
• Cheese Fondue - not sure I've ever had it! 
• Tofu - again....huge fan.
• Celery - I love this veggie in all forms: raw, juices, with peanut butter on it. 
• Oysters - one of life's delicacies. 
• Mayonnaise - I hate it. 
• Mushrooms - one of my favorite things to eat. Grilled portobellos? Oh my. 
• Licorice - yep.  Gross
• Cilantro - I don't get the hatred for this fine herb.

Here's what else caught my eye in the diet and fitness world this week: 
Have you taken a break from exercise and are looking to get back into it?  If so, go slowly.  You can't expect to pick right back up where you left off.  Learn how to tackle exercise after a workout hiatus.

Change your attitude about exercise, change your weight.  Thinking of exercise as "playtime" can be an effective in helping you lose weight.  If you think of it as fun rather than a workout, you might be less likely to compensate your calorie expenditure with extra food.  Confused?  Read this. 

Are you vegan?  Gluten-free?  Not down with dairy?  Keeping kosher all the time?  Here's how to maintain your diet without coming off like a jerk.

How about 10 vices that are good for you?  Chocolate, booze and coffee....I'll take it.

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour, Episode 11

It's now officially a middle linebacker conundrum for the Cowboys with Sean Lee out.  What will Dallas do?  How is Brandon Weeden approaching the season?  AND what do you think about Stephen Jones leaving open the possibility of Josh Brent returning?

Mickey Spagnola and I discuss that and more Thursday, June 5th at 11am on Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour.

Join us by clicking this link or watching in the video box below.  Can't join us live?  You can always watch archived shows here.

 

How To Get A Yoga Mat That Is Perfect For You

I can speak to the fact that one size does not fit all when it comes to yoga mats.  I am too long for most of them when I do downward dog.  The folks at Gaiam have a GENIUS solution: a Yoga Mat Finder.

Eco Reversible Yoga Mat

They suggest taking into account four distinct factors when buying a yoga mat:

1. Thickness
2. Stickiness
3. Price
4. Style

I would suggest length, too.  Regardless, this is a great way to get a yoga mat that works for you.
Click here to find your perfect mat(ch) with the Gaiam Yoga Mat Finder.

Browse a Selection of Yoga Mats

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour, Episode 10

Holy Sean Lee!  It happened again.  While the Cowboys have yet to formally announce it, the Cowboys linebacker appears to be done for the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee Tuesday in OTA's.  

Yeah. 

What does this mean for the Cowboys defense in 2014?  Is it time for Dallas to cut its losses and move on from a player who embodies everything you WANT the Cowboys to stand for yet just can't stay healthy? 

Mickey Spagnola & I discuss that, take your questions and more THIS Friday, May 30 at 11am CST. 

You can join us by clicking here or simply watching in the box below. 

Diet & Fitness News You Need To Know

Clockwise from L to R: Kissing a fish at Dirk's Fish Market, Mushroom & Kale Pie at Pleasant House, Hibiscus Tea Soda at Pleasant House, Otto Gepperth at Gepperth's Meat Market 

I spent Wednesday in Chicago, chronicling food porn and eating my way through the city for a video shoot.  It was awesome, indulgent and motivation to stay committed to my fitness and healthy eating regime.

Here's the latest diet and fitness nuggets you need to know:

Image via Instagram.com/ElleMcPhersonIntimates

When "The Body" shares fitness tips, it's time to listen.  50-year old supermodel Elle McPherson (yeah, 50!) shared her healthy living tips with British Vogue.  Her advice is practical: move every day, make fitness a priority, get your sleep and drink lots of water.  Read the rest here.

From a 50-year old Aussie to a group of 99-year old fit Aussies, these senior citizens prove you're never too old to exercise.  It IS the fountain of youth.

Pregnant?  Exercise benefits both you AND your baby (check with your doctor first!).  Learn how exercise made my pregnancy a breeze.

How about the Ice Diet?  Turns out eating ice burns calories because it requires your body's energy to melt the ice.  One doctor suggests this can be an actual weight loss tool.  My take: the calorie burn is minuscule. Don't bank on this being the next big diet thing.

And in case your curious, I shared my fitness and healthy living approach with D Magazine's new Be Well blog.  This got me thinking: If you only have 20 minutes, what's your go-to workout?

5 Iconic Dallas Food Items

One of the best ways to learn about a culture, city or country is through its food.  Sunday's New York Times took it one step further and produced a virtual French lesson through classic French dishes native to particular regions.  It's a must-read for any Francophile foodie.

Cassoulet/image via Ptyx, Wikimedia

France is easy to tackle because each region has so many iconic dishes.  Bring it stateside and you can say the same about certain cities and states: New Orleans and jambalaya (or beignets or po boys or étouffée, I could go on), deep dish pizza and Chicago, green chiles and New Mexico.  You get the idea.

What dish evokes Dallas?  In the past, I struggled to find a singular item (a la the NYC metro card or Las Vegas casino token) to represent the city.  What about food?

Image via Flickr/Jack Keene

To me enchiladas, watermelon (a Texas summer staple), Snuffer's Cheese Fries, a Mambo Taxi (which I no longer drink because of the calories) and barbecue scream "DALLAS!".

I'm missing something here, aren't I?  Tortilla soup from the Mansion?  What food item characterizes our city?

Interested in keeping up with my pursuit of Texas chic? Hang with me on Pinterest, won't you?

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour, Episode 9

Kick off your Memorial Day weekend by getting your Dallas Cowboys Fix.

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour with Caesar Rayford

Join Mickey Spagnola and me for Micky & Miller's Cowboys Hour, a live Google+ Hangout featuring the most exclusive Cowboys coverage online.

We'll be broadcasting live from the Dallas Cowboys TV studio at the team's Valley Ranch headquarters.

You can watch multiple ways: 

• Check us out on Google+.
• If you can't join us live, watch an archived show on YouTube. 
• Watch us in the video box at the end of this post.